What are the best ways to test SEO tactics and what tools do you use?

1 Define your SEO goals and metrics

Before you start testing any SEO tactic, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and how you will measure it. For example, do you want to increase organic traffic, conversions, engagement, or authority? And what metrics will you use to track your progress, such as clicks, impressions, rankings, bounce rate, or revenue? Having specific and measurable goals and metrics will help you design your tests, compare your results, and prioritize your actions.

2 Choose a testing method and tool

There are various methods and tools you can use to test SEO tactics, depending on your goals, resources, and preferences. A/B testing, for instance, involves creating two or more versions of a web page or element and showing them to different segments of your audience. Then, you measure which version performs better according to your metrics. This can be useful for testing changes in design, content, layout, or features that can affect user behavior and conversions. Split testing is another option which entails creating two or more versions of a web page and showing them to different subsets of your traffic. This method is ideal for testing changes in title tags, meta descriptions, URLs, or canonical tags that can affect SEO performance and visibility. Lastly, multivariate testing requires creating multiple combinations of different elements on a web page and showing them to different segments of your audience. This method is great for testing multiple changes in design, content, layout, or features that can affect user behavior and conversions. Google Optimize, Optimizely, VWO, Google Search Console, RankScience, and DistilledODN are some tools that can help you run these tests.

3 Set up your test and control groups

Once you have chosen a testing method and tool, you need to set up your test and control groups. Your test group is the segment of your audience or traffic that will see the changed version of your web page or element. Your control group is the segment of your audience or traffic that will see the original version of your web page or element. You need to make sure that your test and control groups are similar in size, characteristics, and behavior, so that you can isolate the effect of your change and avoid confounding factors. You also need to decide how long you will run your test, depending on your sample size, statistical significance, and confidence level.

4 Analyze your results and implement changes

After you have run your test for a sufficient period of time, you need to analyze your results and see if there is a significant difference between your test and control groups according to your metrics. You can use your testing tool or a statistical calculator to determine if your results are valid and reliable. If your test group performs better than your control group, you can implement the change on your web page or element and monitor its impact on your SEO goals. If your test group performs worse than your control group, you can discard the change and try a different tactic. If your test group performs the same as your control group, you can either extend the test, modify the change, or test a different variable.

5 Repeat and refine your tests

Testing SEO tactics is not a one-time activity, but an ongoing process of experimentation and optimization. You should always be looking for new ways to improve your website's ranking and traffic, and test them against your current best practices. You should also monitor your results and adjust your tests accordingly, as SEO is a dynamic and evolving field that requires constant learning and adaptation. By testing SEO tactics and using the right tools, you can make data-driven decisions and achieve your SEO goals more effectively and efficiently.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?